1. Field of the Invention
Various embodiments of the present invention described herein generally relate to children's toys, particularly children's toys adapted for eccentric movement on a support surface.
2. Description of Related Art
Children's toys adapted for movement along a support surface are often configured for exhibiting unexpected and surprising motion characteristics in order to provide higher levels of interest and entertainment for young children. These toys are typically configured to roll, bounce, or vibrate along a seemingly random motion path, and are often referred to as “bumbling” toys. For example, existing toys include a powered toy ball—such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,981—that includes an internal motor configured to rotate about an axle fixed within the ball, thereby causing movement of the ball.
However, the motion characteristics of existing toy balls frequently result in the balls becoming stuck upon encountering an obstacle, such as a wall or a piece of furniture. The motion characteristics of these balls may also not be entertaining or otherwise suitable for young children. In addition, powered toy balls of this type often include a power source positioned in a location inconvenient for a user to access. For example, in the toy ball disclosed in the '981 patent, the toy ball's batteries are contained within a battery cover configured to rotate around the axle within the toy ball. As such, a user must perform a complex disassembly of the toy ball in order to access and replace the batteries. In addition to the inconvenient placement of the power source, the components of the drive system are exposed and vulnerable to damage during disassembly.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a powered children's toy configured for exhibiting improved motion characteristics. In addition, there is a need in the art for an improved children's toy having a power source located for convenient user access.